Coin holder



A118- 24, 1965 R. R. WARD 3,202,268

COIN HOLDER Filed Feb. 25, 1964 gI//r//lllllln inf United States Patent O 3,202,268 CUEN l-IGLDER Raymond R. Ward, North Royalton, (lhio, assigner to Ray-Craft, lac., Cleveland, (Ehio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Feb. 25, i964, Ser. No. 347,167 Claims. (Cl. 2de-51) This invention relates to a coin holder for attaching to a key chain and for conveniently holding a number of coins. It is particularly adapted for use in `conjunction with `a key chain holding automobile keys whereby it provides a handy supply of small change for use in conventional parking meters.

The invention lhas for its primary object the provision of .an article of the aforesaid nature which is characterized `by its structural simplicity, its inexpensive manufacturng costs, the ease Iof assembly of its par-ts, the attractive forms i-n which it may 'be made, and the particularly eiective manner in which it performs its function.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a coin holder which conveniently provides a plurality of separate compartments for coins of different values.

Another object is to provide such a coin holder wherein a portion of each -coin is exposed at all ti-mes for ready access thereto.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a coin holder having the above characteristics which is quickly and easily assembled by simply `snapping the parts thereof together without the use of an adhesive or supplemental fastening means.

A further object is to provide a coin holder of the above type which affords means for mounting a decorative or identifying emblem thereto.

Further objects of the present invention, and a number of its advantages, will be referred to in or will be evident from the following description of one embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is 'a front elevation of a coin holder of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, side elevation of the coin holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of FlG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged :section taken along the line 4 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 -is .an enlarged perspective view of a connecting post;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a wall taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a divider member of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is yan enlarged section taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 1.

`Before the article illustrated is specifically described, it is to be understood that the invention here involved is not limited to the structural details or specific arrangement of parts shown since coin holders embodying the present invention may take various forms. lt is also to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation since the scope of' the present invention is denoted by the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1-3, the coin holder of this invention is generally shown at 1d and comp-rises three basic parts; a `front wall 11, a substantially similar 'back wall 12, and a cross-shaped divider 13. The front wall 1l is .a thin, rigid, plate-like member `symmetrically formed on either side 4of its vertical center line as shown and having upwardly converging side edge portions i4 and l5, interice mediate :downwardly converging side edge portions 16 and 17, and lowermost downwardly converging side edge portions 13 and l. Upper and lower edge portions and 21 respectively yare generally horizontal with the upper edge 2d being slightly concave. The back wall 12 lhas a like contour thereby affording matching edges la', l5', i6', i7', 18', la', 2d', and 21.

Adjacent to but spaced inwardly from the edge portions 16, i7, 2t?, and 2l of the front wall 1i, there are provided a plurality of connecting posts 22 each of which is identical with the post illustrated in the perspective of FIG. 5. Posts 22 having the same form are provided adjacent to the edge portions iti', 17', 2h', and 2l of the back wall 12. ecause the posts 22 and 22 are identical in shape and form, only the post 22 will 'be herein described in detail.

`Each post 22 projects inwardly vat right angles from the inner surface of the front wall lll. One lateral side of each post 22 is provided with `a pair of similarly angled surfaces 23 and 24. The Iangled surface 23 is a cam surface and is disposed adjacent to .the distal end of the `associated post 22, and the similarly' `angled surface 24 angles laterally into the associated post in such manner as to provide a step 2S between the surfaces 23 and 2d. it will be readily understood that each post 22 is similarly provided with a cam surface 23', a step 2S', and a second surface 2d. All of the posts 22 and 22 have their flat surfaces oriented in the same direction laterally with respect to the walls 11 `and l2 respectively whereby when one wall is inverted about a vertical axis relative to the other wall, said surfaces are `oriented in opposite `directions as shown in FiG, 4.

rihe divider i3 is well shown in FIG. 7 and defines, generally, .a forme cross having four arms Btl, Si, 32, and 33. The arm 3d projects upwardly .and has an outwardly flared, distal end portion 36a and a slightly concave upper edge 3d. The arms 3l, 32, and 33 are similarly provided with fiared, distal end portions 31a, 32a, and 33a and `lateral and bottom edges 35s', 3d, and 37 respectively. The upper edge 34 has an upwardly directed eye or loop 38 which is `suitably apertured to receive a conventtional key chain C. Identical apertures 39 are provided in each of the dared portions Stia, 3in1, 32a, and 33a which said apertures are so positioned as to be alignable with the posts 22 and 22 of the front and back walls ll and i2 respectively.

The divider i3 is preferably substantially of a thicker dimension than the walls l1 and l2 and is preferably made `from a resilient rather than a rigid material. The coin holder of this invention can be readily made from Well known plastics to provide the required rigidity of the Walls and flexibility of the divider. For example, the walls il and 12 may be manufactured `from a high impact polystyrene whereas the divider 13 may be made from a flexible polyethylene. These specific plastics are given by way of illustration only and have been found to be highly effective in use.

Assembly of the coin holder of this invention is effected lby inserting like positioned connecting posts 22 and 22 `into the apertures 39 in the divider 13 from opposite ends of said apertures. The front and back walls lll and l2 are then pressed firmly together with the divider 13 sandwiched therebetween. As illustrated in FIG 4, the posts 22 and 22 are of such length in relation to the thickness of the divider i3 that when the walls ll and 12 are brought up firmly against said divider, the steps 25 and 25 overlap each other and form a mechanical interlock between said walls. When opposite posts 22 and 22' first approach each other, the cam surfaces 23 and 23 respectively thereof abut each other in a flatwise relation whereby continued movement of the posts to- 3 ward each other cams them relatively apart within the associated aperture 39 until such time as the steps 25 and snap into engagement with each other. The inherent resilience ofthe divider i3 allows the steps ZS and ZS ofthe posts to pass each other and then causes Y them to snap together in overlapping relationship to form the mechanical interlock. The apertures 39 then hold the opposed pairs of posts 22 and 22' in the interlocked relationship illustrated in FiG. 4 whereby the walls l1 and l2 are firmly fixed against the divider 13.

As best shown in FlG. 3, the divider i3 divides the space `between the walls lll and l2 into four coin holding compartments which are disposed between adjacent arms and flared portions of the divider 13 and which may be of such sizes as to hold coins of any desired value. ln the form of the invention herein illustrated, the compartment ybetween the flared portions 31a and 36a and the compartment between the flared portions a and 32a are adapted to receive coins of one size such as nickels shown at N. The compartment provided between the flared portions 32a and 33a and the compartment provided between the flared portions 33a and 31a are relatively smallerin size and are adapted to receive smaller coins such as pennies shown at P or dimes as shown at D in FlG. l. Each adjacent pair of flared end portions tends to reduce the size of the entrance to the compartment therebetween to substantially less than the diameter of the coin to be inserted in the compartment whereby said coins are held captively `therein as illustrated in the lower right-hand compartment in FIG. 3. The upper right-hand compartment in the same figure shows a nickel N in an intermediate position partly in and partly out of the compartment and illustrates the manner in which the flared end portions are cammed apart by the coin to allow insertion or removal of the coin. These flared end portions can flex freely when inserting or removing coins ybecause they are in no way bonded or attached to the inner surfaces of the walls lll and l2 and may move freely therebetween under pressure.

FlG. 6 shows in section a boss itl which is provided on the inner surface of the wall il adjacent to the entrance of one of the four compartments, said boss dll being opposite to a like boss dll on the inner surface of the Wall l2. These bosses are provided at compartments where it is desired to prevent an attempt to insert more than a restricted number of coins of a certain size into said compartment. For example, if the divider 13 is of such thickness that a lower compartment confortably holds three pennies or four dimes in stacked relation, the upper compartment will be of sufficient width to hold a little less than three nickels. In this case, a person might attempt to force a third nickel into an upper compartment thereby forcefully pushing the walls lll and l2 apart. Because the posts 22 and 2.2 cannot become disengaged under pressure, the result might be `the breakage of one of the posts. By proper placement of the bosses itl and 4d as indicated in FIG. 2, the lateral spacing of any compartment can be controlled to the exact comfortable wid-th of a predetermined number of coins thereby preventing an attempt to overload the holder.

Means is provided for mounting an emblem disc to one or both of the walls lll and l2 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 8. The emblem disc 45 may be made of plastic, metal, or other suitable material and may contain initials, symbols, or purely decorative matter. The outer surface of the front wall il is provided with a circular recess ld which atlords an annular dovet'ail wall i7 for snapping over and gripping the emblem disc d5. Said disc may be simply pushed or snapped into the recess 46 where it will be retained by the dovetail wall 47 or where it may be glued if desired.V The wall 12 may, of course, be provided with a similar recess 46, `and if so, a manufacturing advantage is gained in that both front and back walls will then be identical and may be manufactured `from the same mold.

It will be understood that many changes in the details of the invention as herein described and illustrated may be made without, however, departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

ll. A coin holder comprising a pair of spaced, parallel, rigid walls; a cross-shaped flexible divider member disposed between said walls; said cross-shaped divider member having four arms terminating in flared portions adjacent to edge portions of said walls and atlording four compartments between adjacent pairs of said arms opening lat edge portions of said walls; said flared portions of adjacent arms cooperantly restricting the entrance to the cornpartment defined -by said arms whereby coins are releasably retained within said compartment.

2. A coin holder comprising a pair of spaced, rigid, flat walls; a cross-shaped flexible divider member made of resilient plastic disposed between said walls and affording compartments within said holder defined by radiating arms of said divider; said compartments opening at edge portions of said walls; said arms having flared end portions adjacent to said edge portions of said walls; adjacent of said flared portions cooperantly restricting the entrance to each said compartment whereby coins are rcleasably retained therein with a portion of each said coin protruding from its compartment for access to said coin; said divider having an eye portion projecting beyond one edge of said holder whereby said holder is adapted to ybe attached to a key chain.

Y 3. A coin holder comprising a pair of spaced, rigid flat walls; an integral, cross-shaped flexible divider member formed of resilient plastic disposed between said walls and affording compartments within said holder defined by radiating arms of said divider; said compartments opening at edge portions of said wallsg'said arms having flared end portions adjacent to said edge portions of said walls; adjacent of said flared portions cooperantly restricting the entrance to each said compartment whereby coins are releasably retaine-d therein with a portion of each said coin protruding from its compartment for access to said coin; said divider having an integral eye portion projecting beyond one edge of said holder whereby said holder is adapted to be attached to a key chain; said walls having boss means projecting from the inner surfaces thereof adjacent to the entrance of at least one said compartment thereby restricting and dening the entrance width of the associated compartment.

4. A coin holder comprising a pair of spaced rigid, flat walls; an integral, cross-shaped flexible divider member formed of resilient plastic disposed between said walls and affording compartments within said holder defined by radiating arms of said divider; said compartments opening at edge portions of said walls; said arms having flared end portions adjacent to said edge portions of said Walls; adjacent of said flared portions cooperantly restricting the entrance to each said compartment whereby coins are releasably retained therein with a portion of each said coin protruding from its compartment for access to said coin; said divider having an integral eye portion projecting beyond one edge of said holder whereby said holder is adapted to be attached to a key chain; at least one of said walls being recessed at its outer surface; said recess defined by a dovetail, peripheral wall; and an emblem member having substantially the same shape as said recess and snap-fitted within said dovetail wall.

. 5. A coin holder comprising a pair of spaced, parallel, rigid walls; an integral, cross-shaped, flexible divider member formed of resilient plastic disposed between said walls; said divider having lfour radiating arms terminating in flared portions adjacent to the edges of said walls; adjacent pairs of said arms defining coin holding compartments within said holder with each said compartment opening at edge portions of said walls; adjacent of said flared portions cooperantly restricting the entrance to each said compartment whereby coins are releasably retained Within said compartments with portions thereof protruding from said compartments beyond said edges of said Walls; means defining an aperture through each said flared portion adjacent to edge portions of said Walls; said Walls having pairs of cooperant posts projecting into each said aperture from opposite ends of said aperture; each said post having an angled surface adjacent to its distal end for camming said posts apart as they move into said aperture from opposite ends thereof. each said post having a step spaced away from said distal end and adapted to snap over the step of the other post when said Walls are pressed firmly against said divider member whereby said walls and said divider member are mechanically interlocked together.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Willis ZOG-0.81

G-oldstaub 206-42 Honeyman.

Everitt 20G-0.81

Nauman 206-0.o1 Antritter 220-4 Schwartz 20G-0.81 Horland 206-42 Severson 206-42 Sweden.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. 

5. A COIN HOLDER COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED, PARALLEL, RIGID WALLS; AN INTEGRAL, CROSS-SHAPED, FLEXIBLE DIVIDER MEMBER FORMED OF RESILIENT PLASTIC DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID WALLS; SAID DIVIDER HAVING FOUR RADIATING ARMS TERMINATING IN FLARED PORTIONS ADJACENT TO THE EDGES OF SAID WALLS; ADJACENT PAIRS OF SAID ARMS DEFINING COIN HOLDING COMPARTMENTS WITHIN SAID HOLDER WITH EACH SAID COMPARTMENT OPENING AT EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID WALLS; ADJACENT OF SAID FLARED PORTIONS COOPERANTLY RESTRICTING THE ENTRANCE TO EACH SAID COMPARTMENT WHEREBY COINS ARE RELEASABLY RETAINED WITHIN SAID COMPARTMENTS WITH PORTIONS THEREOF PROTRUDING FROM SAID COMPARTMENTS BEYOND SAID EDGES OF SAID WALLS; MEANS DEFINING AN APERTURE THROUGH EACH SAID FLARED PORTION ADJACENT TO EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID WALLS; SAID WALLS HAVING PAIRS OF COOPERANT POSTS PROJECTING INTO EACH SAID APERTURE FROM OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID APERTURE; EACH SAID POST HAVING AN ANGLED SURFACE ADJACENT TO ITS DISTAN END FOR CAMMING SAID POSTS APART AS THEY MOVE INTO SAID APERTURE FROM OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF, EACH SAID POST HAVING A STEP SPACED AWAY FROM SAID DISTAL END AND ADAPTED TO SNAP OVER THE STEP OF THE OTHER POST WHEN SAID WALLS ARE PRESSED FIRMLY AGAINST SAID DIVIDER MEMBER WHEREBY SAID WALLS AND SAID DIVIDER MEMBER ARE MECHANICALLY INTERLOCKED TOGETHER. 